Riverstone Kitchen

Overview

Bevan and Monique Smith built Riverstone Kitchen in a paddock on the family farm in 2006. Since then, the restaurant has gone from strength to strength, stacking up accolades along the way. Just 15 minutes north of Oamaru in North Otago, the kitchen is a must-try for visitors wishing to sample authentic New Zealand farm-to-table fare. Having cooked in top restaurants in London and Australia, Bevan is passionate about cooking local, seasonal and ethically produced food — and, it shows.

The menu is concise, uncluttered, and highlights fresh ingredients which have come straight from the farm's veggie garden, orchard, or nearby fellow farms. Perhaps surprisingly, there's not a hint of pretension either. Let the kids run wild at the playground or stroll to the dramatic castle and moat on a neighbouring dairy farm. If you're keen to take away a souvenir, Bevan's acclaimed book Riverstone Kitchen: Another Helping is available for purchase.